The Wisconsin Radiological Society presented the 2019 Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Patrick Turski, MD, FACR during the 70th Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 13th, 2019 at The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin. Dr. Turski is the fifth recipient of this award, joining Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, FACR, Dr. James E. Youker, MD, FACR, Dr. Andrew B. Crummy, MD, FACR, Dr. J. Frank Wilson, M.D., FACR, FASTRO and Dr. Paul A. Larson, M.D., FACR.

Dr. Turski was born in East St. Louis, Illinois in August 1950. He attended Assumption High School and fondly recalled his favorite summer job unloading refrigerator trucks. “Going between the below zero temperatures of the freezer truck, into the hot Illinois summer, and back into the storage freezer was quite an invigorating experience,” Patrick recalled. He remained in Illinois for undergrad at the University of Illinois where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Chemistry. In addition he was named an Edmund James Scholar during his time as a Fighting Illini.

For medical school Patrick moved to Chicago where he attended Rush Medical College. He chose medicine because he enjoyed the challenge of patient care and wanted a career that could make a difference in peoples’ lives. Early in his training Dr. Turski realized the power of medical imaging. “Modalities such as CT and MRA provide the most objective and accurate information in medicine,” Patrick remarked.

Internship and Residency were completed at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison. While an intern he met Dr. Joe Sackett, a neuroradiologist who introduced Patrick to the field and convinced him to pursue this as a career. In addition Dr. Charlie Strother, one of the pioneers of interventional neuroradiology, also demonstrated the value of endovascular therapy to Pat. Neuroradiology fellowship was completed at the University of California in San Francisco. Fellowship program director, Dr. T. Han Newton strongly encouraged Dr. Turski to excel in the field and was noted as one of Patrick’s significant mentors. In addition, while a fellow, he was awarded a neuroradiology Research Fellow Grant at the Centre International des Etudiants Medecins Paris France, under the supervision of Dr J. Vignaud in Paris and Dr. G. Salomon in Marseilles from July-Dec 1980.

Following fellowship Pat returned to the University of Wisconsin where he spent the remainder of his career. One of the things that drew Patrick back to Wisconsin was the strong vascular imaging research program led by Medical Physicist Chuck Mistretta, PhD. During his 37 years in Madison Dr. Turski accomplished a great deal. From 1986-93 he was named the Chief of MRI, from 1993-96 he was the Division Chief of Neuroradiology, and from 1995-2005 he was the John Juhl Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiology. During his career Dr. Turski has written 150 peer reviewed articles, 25 book chapters, 1 monograph on MRA, 1 book on MRA, and has been invited as a lecturer to meetings across the globe.

In addition to his career and academic achievements Dr. Turski has also been involved with the WRS, ACR, and other professional organizations. The WRS has been fortunate to have Patrick as a member since 1984 and it’s President in 2003. Within the ACR Dr. Turski was recruited by Dr. Arliss Pollack to work on the first CPT codes for MRA in the early 1990s. Through both the ASNR and ACR he worked on these and other codes and wound up being chair of the ASNR Heath Economics committee for 7 years. Ultimately the MRA codes were presented to the RUC and CMS and have been in effect ever since, largely unchanged since their adoption. In addition he was the ASNR representative to the ACR commission on neuroradiology and drafted the ACR Standards & Guidelines for MRA of the head and neck. Of note Patrick has been involved in the last 3 revisions of these documents.

Since retiring Pat and his wife Deborah, a pathologist, have decided to spend the winters in Tucson, AZ. The 4 seasons of golf were a big draw. In addition to golf Patrick enjoys tennis, blues guitar, and sailing on Lake Mendota. They have two grown children, Michael who is an Attorney working in Chicago and Megan who works for Tekada Pharmaceuticals in La Jolla, CA.

The Wisconsin Radiological Society presented the 2018 Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Paul A. Larson, MD, FACR during the 69th Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 21st, 2018 at The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin. Dr. Larson is the fifth recipient of this award, joining Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, FACR, Dr. James E. Youker, MD, FACR, Dr. Andrew B. Crummy, MD, FACR and Dr. J. Frank Wilson, M.D., FACR, FASTRO.

Dr. Larson is a graduate of Northwestern University and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He did an internship in Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, CT and completed residency in Diagnostic Radiology at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, MA. He came to Wisconsin for Fellowship in Angiography and Interventional Radiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin before joining Radiology Associates of the Fox Valley where he practiced for over 30 years.

Dr. Larson served over 20 years on the Board of the WRS including as President in 2005-6 and as Chair of the Fellowship Committee from 2007-17, during which time the WRS had one of the highest per capita number of new ACR Fellows. He was ACR Councilor from 2001-6 during which time he served on the ACR Council Steering Committee. He then joined the ACR Board of Chancellors as Chair of the Commission on Quality and Safety from 2006-12 and as Vice-President and observer to the Canadian Association of Radiologists in 2012-13, including 4 years on the ACR Executive Committee and 3 years on the Budget and Finance Committee.

Dr. Larson first became involved in technologist education as a resident and has been Medical Advisor to the Program in Radiologic Technology initially at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh and now at Marian University in Fond du Lac for nearly 30 years. He served on two American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) exam committees starting in 1992 and in 2014 was elected to the ARRT Board of Trustees. He will serve as President of the ARRT in 2018-9 and will remain on the Board through 2022. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology from 1995-2001, including 5 years as Secretary-Treasurer. He was Chair of the RSNA Associated Sciences Committee from 2000-3.

Dr. Larson’s other activities include membership on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Medical Society since 2015, 3 years on the American Board of Radiology Non-interpretive Skills Committee, and multiple hospital committee positions and chairmanships. He served 12 years on the Board of the Oshkosh Youth Soccer Club and 6 years on the Board of the Oshkosh Area United Way (OAUW), including as President. He and his wife, Peg, are the Campaign Co-Chairs for the 2018 OAUW campaign.

The Wisconsin Radiological Society presented the 2016 Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. J. Frank Wilson, FACR, FASTRO during the 67th Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 16th, 2016 at The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin. Dr. Wilson is the fourth recipient of this award, joining Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, FACR, Dr. James E. Youker, MD, FACR and Dr. Andrew B. Crummy, MD, FACR.

J. Frank Wilson, M.D., FACR, FASTRO, is the Chairman and Bernard & Miriam Peck Family Professor of Radiation Oncology and Director Emeritus, Cancer Center, of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Wilson serves as PI of the NCI sponsored ACR Quality Research in Radiation Oncology (QRRO) project and as PI of the CDC sponsored Wisconsin Cancer Registry Evaluation: Patterns of Breast and Prostate Care Study. His other research interests include breast cancer treatment and skin cancer.

Dr. Wilson is Past President of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and was a 2003 recipient of the ASTRO Gold Medal. He has also served as a Chancellor and vice president of the American College of Radiology and as President of the American Radium Society. He received the ACR Gold Medal in 2006. In 2013, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Radiological Society of North America. Among other honors, Dr Wilson is also a recent recipient of the St George Award of the American Cancer Society.

During the Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, April 20th, 2013 at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Radiological Society and Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, FACR, presented the 2013 Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Andrew B. Crummy, Jr., FACR. Dr. Crummy is the third recipient of this award, joining Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, FACR, who was a resident of Dr. Crummy's, and Dr. James E. Youker, FACR.

The WRS Flaherty Award was named in honor of Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, FACR, and is given by the WRS Board of Directors to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the practice of Radiology in the State of Wisconsin. Dr. Crummy's seminal role in the development and worldwide dissemination of Digital Subtraction Angiography, involvement in establishing the subspecialty of Interventional Radiology and the Society of Interventional Radiology, long standing participation in research and teaching residents and fellows at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, and contributions to the medical literature throughout his career made him an exemplary candidate for this award.

The WRS congratulates Dr. Andrew B. Crummy, Jr., FACR on receiving the 2013 Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award and thanks him for his contributions to the practice of medicine and the specialty of Radiology.

James E. Youker, MD, FACR has been Chairman of the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Radiology since 1968. Under his leadership, the Department of Radiology has become nationally recognized and Dr. Youker has achieved pre-eminent national recognition as a leader in radiological sciences. The James E. Youker Endowed Chair in Radiology is being established by the Medical College of Wisconsin to honor James E. Youker, MD, FACR.

Department of Radiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin has long been a national leader in teaching and patient care. Over the years, the Department of Radiology has produced a growing roster of graduates, including over 350 radiology residents, fellows and instructors. Under Dr. Youker’s leadership, these radiologists have become very successful clinicians, educators, researchers and administrators with the same core values.

Dr. Youker received the Medical College of Wisconsin’s highest faculty honor, the Distinguished Service Award, in 1989. In 2008, he received the Medical Society of Milwaukee County’s highest honor, it’s Distinguished Service Award. He is the recipient of four gold medals for “having rendered exceptional services to the science of radiology”, from the American College of Radiology, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Radiological Society of North America, and the Association of University Radiologists. He is also past president of The American Board of Medical Specialties. In 2008, he was named an honorary alumnus of the Medical College of Wisconsin/Marquette Medical Alumni Association.